Quick opening and sealing envelope



June 12, 1945. B. M. ALDRICH 2,377,915

QUICK OPENING AND SEALING ENVELORE Filed Sept. 16, 1943 5. M wa /6 Patented June 12, 1945 STATES OFFICE QUICK-OPENING Benjamin Aldrich, 'Stillwater, Okla.

Application September 16, 194.3, rScriallN'o. stasis 4 Claims.

This inventionrelates to an envelope and sealing means therefor, and pertains more =particularlyto ran envelopeof the two compartment type for use in carrying letters or other. matter :requiring different rates of postage, although the sameiis notrestric'ted to such use.

The primary important object or this invention is to provide a device of the above character in which the several compartment thereof are formed from a single blank.

Another important :object of the invention "is to provide an envelope blank of the above characteriin which themeans, such as an adhesive or the like, :fOr securing the several parts thereof in their final or assembled form is placed upon one side onlynfthe blank.

.onother important object .of this invention is to provide an envelope of the above character which is so folded and secured together that the cover flap thereof may be quickly sealed andthen unsealed sons to permit. a readyiinspection of the contents of one or :both of the compartments and'to'thereby attend .a substantial savingof time o h in the sealing and :unsealing operations.

Another important object or this invention is to provide an envelope of the above character which permits of a temporary adhesive sealing of the closure nap and which at the same time dmits of rapid inspection of the contents and a subsequent and rapid vreclosing of the same.

A still further important object or this invention is, to provide a temporary adhesive sealing of the envelope which will permit rapid opening thereof and a subsequent reclosing of the same by a part of the closure fastening means.

Theforegoing and other important objects and advantages of the above named device will be readily apparent throughout the course of the following specification, claims and attached drawing, in which like reference characters denote like parts throughout the same and in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank from which the envelope is formed.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the envelope before the body portion of the first class envelope is finally secured to the second-class envelope.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the envelope shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the envelope with the closure flap in partially open position;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the envelope with the temporary adhesive sealing means in position about the usual metal envelope fastening means.

hesive sealing means, such as shown in Figure '5,

and

Figure '7 is a modified form 'of temporary sealing means such as shown in Figures 5'and 6.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and more particularly to the preferred embodiment of the blank, as depicted in Figure 1, the same consists of a single sheet of suitable material which is formed to provide an envelope for containing first .and 'second class :mail matter. The portion of the envelope for oontainingsecond-class matter, consists of a body portion I having a side tab :2,.a.-side sealin flap '3 and a bottom sealing flap 4. The side 'tab '2, side sealing flap 3 and bottom sealing flap 4 item continuations of and are defined from-the both portion l by score lines 5, 6 and l respectivel-y.

The first class mail matter receiving envelope consists so! a body portion 8 having side portions 9 and 1:0 coated with an adhesive for :a purpose to be'hereinafter more tully described. The body portion .8 is connected to the body portion l by means of a connecting web or strip 1 I, the side edges [2 and i3 of which are spaced inwardly a predetermined distance from the score lines 5 and B or body portion l and trom the adhesively coated areas 39 and 11] of the body portion 8. The lower and upper limits of the connecting web or strip ll are defin-edby score lines and I5 respectively.

Connected to the upper edge of the body portion 8, which is defined by the score line 46, is a closure flap ll. The :closure'fiap I! which is designed to seal both compartments .of the enve1ope,*in certain instances, is provided with a horizontally extending :adhesively coated area I8 which is defined along its bottom edge by score line l6 and along its upper edge by score line IS.

The closure flap I1 is further provided above the area l8 with an adhesive coating 20 and with an opening 2 l, the latter to receive the bendable prongs 22 and 23 of the usual metal fastening member 24.

To form the compartment envelope from the blank thus far described, th side tab 2 is first folded over the body portion l along score line 5. Side sealing flap 3 is then folded over side tab 2 along score line 6, and adhesively secured thereto in the usual manner, following which the bottom sealing flap 4 is folded over the tab 2 and flap 3 and adhesively secured thereto. This operation forms the envelope for the second class mail matter.

To form the compartment for containing first Figure 6 is a plan view of the temporary ad- 55 class mail matter, the connecting web or strip ll is folded downwardly along score line l4 against the reverse side of the body portion I, as viewed in Figures 2 and 3. The body portion 8 is then folded inwardly toward said strip ll along score line I 5, whereupon the body portion 8 is then secured to body portion l by means of the adhesively coated portions 9 and I0. Each compartment is now in position to receive its selected contents.

Referring now to Figure 5 of the drawing, a temporary adhesive sealing member 25 for the second class compartment is placed beneath the prongs 22 and 23 of the metal fastener 24, as shown. The sealing member 25 may be of circular formation, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, rectangular formation as shown in Figure '7, or of any other suitable design or configuration. However, regardless of the design of the member 25, the same is coated with an adhesive only upon one side thereof so that the same may be adhesively secured to the closure flap ll when the latter is folded thereover in closing relation to the several compartments of the envelope.

In operation, after the envelope has been formed to provide the several compartments, the first class mail compartment is sealed by folding the adhesively coated area l8 of the closure ll along score line [6 over and into sealing contact with the upper portion of the body portion l thus leaving the remainder of theclosure ll above the score line l9 free andout of contact with the tab 2, and flap 3.

To temporarily seal the second class mail com partment so as to permit ready inspection of the contents thereof, the sealing member 25 is mois-' tened and adhesively connected to the portion of the closure ll above the score line 19.

When it is desired to inspect the contents of the second class mail compartmentaccess thereto may be readily had by merely grasping the closure l1 and pulling the same away from the envelope body. This action causes the bendable prongs 22 and 23 of the metal fastener 2 3 to yield inwardly toward each other and to be pulled through the opening in the sealing memher. To reclose the second class mail compartment after the above described inspection, the bendable prongs are then passed through the opening 2| in the closure I! and are flattened against the outer side of the latter in the usual manner.

In the event that the envelope has not passed through an inspection prior to its receipt by the addressee, the latter may quickly open both compartments by grasping the closure I1 and with a steady pull caused the bendable prongs to move out of engagement with the sealing member 25 and by a continued pull cause the peeling and thereby the separation of the adhesively coated area, l8, thereof from the body portion l without destruction of the latter.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the temporary sealing means disclosed in Figures 5, 6 and '7 is not restricted in its use to the form of the envelope disclosed, as it will be readily apparent that same can be used on envelopes or other containers of the single or multiple compartment type without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An envelope of the character described, including a body having an open pocket therein, a closure flap carried by the body and having an opening therethrough, a bendable fastener secured to said body and having a part of a size to be passed through said opening and to be bent over said flap so as to secure the flap in covering relation to the pocket, a second fastener detachably connected to the body by initially bending over said part into contact therewith, in which position said part is in non-fia'p engaging and securing position with respect to said flap, and means for securing the second fastener to the flap so as to hold the same in covering relation to the pocket when the first fastener is in said nonfiap engaging and securing position.

2. A device of the character described in accordance with claim 1, in which the second fastener includes a flexible element having an adhesive on one face thereof.

3. A device of the character described in accordance with claim 1, in which the second fastener includes a body having an opening therethrough and having an adhesive on one face" 40 thereof.

4, An envelope of the character described, including a body having an open pocket therein,

a closure flap carried by the body, a bendable hold the same in covering relation to the pocket' when the first-fastener is in said non-flap engaging and securing position.

BENJAMIN M. ALDRICH. 

